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Terms and People

Learn how Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet increased support for independence, the meaning and structure of the Declaration of Independence, and why many colonists favored declaring independence. Discover how Congress agreed to separate from Britain and how the Declaration changed the nature of the American Revolution.

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Terms and People

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  1. Terms and People Thomas Paine– American colonist and author of Common Sense Richard Henry Lee– delegate who introduced a resolution calling for independence to the Second Continental Congress

  2. Terms and People resolution– formal statement of opinion preamble– introduction grievance– formal complaint

  3. The Declaration of Independence

  4. Objectives Find out how Thomas Paine stirred support for independence. Understand the meaning and structure of the Declaration of Independence. Learn how Congress finally agreed to separate from Britain.

  5. Why did many colonists favor declaring independence? By 1776, tension filled the colonies. The king had declared the colonists to be in open rebellion. The casualties from battles were high. Still, the path ahead was unclear.Despite a bloody beginning, many colonists still hoped for peace.

  6. As 1776 began, most colonists were neither Patriots nor Loyalists. They were in the middle, torn about what to do. Patriots Loyalists Undecided

  7. That soon began to change. In January 1776, a colonist named Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet that received wide attention.

  8. In Common Sense, Paine made powerful arguments in favor of independence. It gave a voice to what many colonists had long felt but had not expressed openly. The king is a “royal brute.” Kings should not rule over people. Americans should govern themselves.

  9. Common Sense sold more than 500,000 copies. Public opinion began to shift. As support for independence grew among colonists, it also increased among representatives in Congress. Number of colonists favoring independence

  10. In May of 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution to Congress declaring that the colonies should be free and independent states. Congress formed a committee to write a statement explaining the reasons for independence. The statement was to be presented to Congress, and the question of independence was to be put to a vote.

  11. Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson to the committee. Jeffersonwrotemost of the document, which became the Declaration of Independence.

  12. The Declaration of Independence has four parts, beginning with a Preamble. The Preamble states the reason for writing the document—to explain why the colonists were breaking ties with Britain.

  13. Jefferson then describes certain Natural Rights that all people have. • All men are created equal. • People are given Unalienable Rights (can’t be taken away). • The government’s job is to protect these rights. • If it fails, the people can change the government and create a new one.

  14. Jefferson claimed that the British government hadviolated the colonists’ rights. To prove this, he presented a long List of Grievances,including that the colonists were • denied trial by jury • taxed without their consent

  15. Since King George III ignored all appeals from the colonists, Jefferson concluded that the king was “unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” The Declaration confirmed that, in the eyes of the colonists, all ties between the colonies and the British government were dissolved.

  16. Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

  17. Americans still celebrate July 4 as Independence Day. Today, the Declaration of Independence remains a source of inspiration for Americans and for people around the world.

  18. For Americans in 1776, however, declaring independence was a serious and frightening step. This declaration challenged one of the most powerful nations in the world—and risked the lives of the colonists. The way ahead was dangerous, but there was no turning back. Americans fought to create their own nation.

  19. Quiz 1. Ridiculed the idea of rule by kings 2. Virginia delegate who Introduced the idea of independence to congress 3. A formal complaint 4. Introduction a. Richard Henry Lee b. preamble c. Divine Providence d. John Adams e. grievance f. Thomas Paine 5. Paine’s Common Sense increased support for ___________ in the colonies. 6. The Declaration of Independence is based on the idea of natural__________. 7. In 1776 the colonists could be divided into three categories loyalists, patriots and the __________. 8. Committee members John Adams and __________ ____________ suggested only minor changes to Jefferson’s writing in the Declaration of Independence. 9. How did the Declaration of Independence change the nature of the American Revolution?

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